This invention relates to compositions for use in adding additives to liquids. More particularly but not exclusively, this invention relates to compositions for use in emulsifying and/or stabilising food products.
Many food products require use of emulsifiers and stabilisers in order to attain their optimum performance. Incomplete dispersion of the combination of ingredients is extremely common, an effect which may or may not be apparent during the mixing process.
Emulsifier and/or stabilisers can be dispersed by premixing with other dry solids (e.g. sugar) and sprinkling into the liquid mixture at, for example, 50-55 Celsius with continuous stirring. This can be done either with or without premixing, but premixing is desirable because fewer problems are then experienced. In another method emulsifiers and stabilisers may be combined either by spray-chilling or agglomeration into small granules or coarse powder; these products are more consistent and disperse rather more easily (for example at lower temperatures and with easier mixing). The food is then homogenised using a pressure homogeniser; alternatively, homogenisation may be accomplished using high-speed homogeniser mixers.
Manufacturers experience many difficulties, which vary with the machinery, methods and levels of competence in production. Stabilisers (generally hydrocolloids or other long chain molecules with viscosity-enhancing and/or water-binding characteristics) can hydrate quickly with increase of viscosity so that further dispersion of grains is hindered; the ingredients may obviously disperse incompletely, with lumps of material which will not disperse. Other disadvantages are that a slime of non-dispersed emulsifier/stabiliser may be retained in the mixing vessel, so that the food has received the incorrect active dosage. In such cases, in-line filters, where used, may become blocked with incorrectly dispersed ingredient (again indicating a reduced effective dosage) and the machinery will need to be stripped more often. The difficulty can be much worse in some areas where old machinery is inadequate for correct mixing.
When the above occurs (which may not always be obvious at the mixing stage), the final product will be inconsistent, or be incorrectly stabilised or emulsified. Manufacturers will find unexplained products variation in mixes with the same formulation and processing, with consequent inefficiencies. The mouthfeel of the final product is affected, as is the structure and technical performance.
Modern processing systems attain better productivity in the case of many frozen products, if the mixture requires a minimum period of ageing (cool storage with gentle agitation to enable stabilisers, milk proteins etc. to achieve their full performance). Frequently measures to speed production will produce an obvious deterioration in product quality.
According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a composition for use in adding an additive to a liquid, said composition comprising a first ingredient comprising the additive, and a second ingredient comprising a fat material, wherein the first ingredient is dispersed within the second ingredient.
Preferably, the additive comprises an emulsifier and/or a stabiliser.
According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a composition for use in emulsifying and/or stabilising a food, said composition comprising a first ingredient comprising an additive in the form of a food grade emulsifier and/or a food grade stabiliser, and a second ingredient comprising a food grade fat material, wherein the first ingredient is dispersed within the second ingredient.
According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a method of producing a composition for use in adding an additive to a liquid, said method comprising providing a first ingredient comprising the additive, providing a second ingredient comprising a fat material in liquid form, and mixing the first and second ingredients such that the first ingredient is dispersed within the second ingredient.
Preferably the additive comprises an emulsifier and/or a stabiliser.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of producing a composition for use in emulsifying and/or stabilising a food product, the method comprising providing a first ingredient comprising a food grade emulsifier and/or a food grade stabiliser, providing a second ingredient comprising a food grade fat material, and mixing the first and second ingredients such that the first ingredient is dispersed within the second ingredient.
The second ingredient may be melted and the first ingredient may thereafter be added thereto. Alternatively, the, or at least some of the, first ingredient may be melted and the second ingredient added thereto.
Preferably, one embodiment of the method involves mixing the emulsifier and the stabiliser and thereafter adding said mixture to the fat material, which may be molten. Alternatively, the emulsifier, the stabiliser and the fat material may be added together as a substantially single step. In a further embodiment, the emulsifier may be melted and the other ingredients added thereto.
The mixture of the first ingredient and the fat material may be heated and mixed in appropriate mixing apparatus. The first and second ingredients may undergo a grinding step before or after substantially complete melting of the first and second ingredients has occurred.
In another embodiment, the fat material may be heated, preferably to melt the fat material substantially completely and thereafter the first ingredient may be added. Alternatively, the first ingredient may be added to the fat material during heating.
Preferably, the first ingredient is substantially uniformly dispersed within the second ingredient. The dispersal of the first ingredient in the second may comprise dissolving the first ingredient in the second. The dispersal of the first ingredient in the second ingredient may comprise dissolving and/or suspending at least part of the first ingredient in the second ingredient.
Preferably, the fat material is substantially solid at room temperature, and said composition is preferably substantially solid at room temperature.
Preferably, the ingredients are mixed at an elevated temperature whereby the fat material is in a molten form.
After the ingredients are mixed, the composition is desirably allowed to solidify. Conveniently, the product is cooled to allow it to solidify. The mixed composition may be extruded during cooling to allow the composition to solidify in a desired configuration.
The temperature at which said mixing takes place may be in the range of from substantially 25xc2x0 C. to substantially 75xc2x0 C., preferably substantially 50xc2x0 C. to substantially 70xc2x0 C., for example substantially 52xc2x0 C. to substantially 68xc2x0 C. More preferably, the temperature of mixing is in the range of from substantially 55xc2x0 C. to substantially 70xc2x0 C., for example substantially 57xc2x0 C. to substantially 67xc2x0 C.
The first and second ingredients may be mixed by stirring. The mixing step may be carried out for a period of time of up to substantially 24 hours, desirably, up to, or for, substantially 15 hours, preferably up to, or for, substantially 4 hours, more preferably up to, or for, substantially 2 hours. In one embodiment, the mixing step was carried out for a period of time in the range of from substantially 2 hours to substantially 4 hours. Preferably, measurement of the time for mixing the ingredients commences after the ingredients have been added together. Before or during mixing the ingredients may be subjected to particle size reduction by particle size reduction means, preferably, to a particle size of less than substantially 20 xcexcm. Preferably, the ingredients are ground by grinding means.
The additive may be provided in an amount of from substantially 40 wt % to substantially 80 wt %, preferably from substantially 60 wt % to substantially 70 wt %, more preferably substantially 64 wt % to substantially 68 wt %.
The proportion of emulsifier to stabiliser may be in the range 100:0 (emulsifier to stabiliser) to 0:100, preferably in the range 90:10 to 0:100, more preferably in the range 80:20 to 60:40. In one embodiment, the proportion of emulsifier to stabiliser is 68:32.
The fat material may be provided in an amount of from substantially 20wt % to substantially 50 wt %, preferably from substantially 30 wt % to substantially 40 wt %, more preferably substantially 32 wt % to substantially 36 wt %
The fat material may comprise vegetable fat which may comprise hydrogenated vegetable fat. Alternatively, or in addition, the fat may comprise butterfat or other animal fat.
The emulsifier may comprise, for example one or more of E471, lecithin, sorbitan esters, sucrose esters.
The stabiliser may comprise, for example, one or more of guar gum, carob gum, carrageenan, sodium alginate, pectin, xanthan gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, modified starches.
Further ingredients may be provided to improve the quality of the product. One said further ingredient may comprise an agent for assisting the setting or solidifying of the composition. Said agent may comprise a high-melting point fractionated fat. The agent may contain hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The agent may be provided in an amount less than substantially 5%, conveniently, less than substantially 1xc2xd wt %, preferably in the range of from substantially 1 wt % to substantially 1 xc2xd wt %. In one embodiment, the agent may be added in an amount of substantially 1 wt %, for example 1.1 wt %.
In addition, or alternatively, one of said further ingredients may comprise a flavour enhancer. The amount of flavour enhancer may be selected to provide an amount in the food product of substantially 60 ppm. The flavour enhancer may be provided in the composition in an amount of 6600 ppm. The flavour enhance may be, for example, vanilla, buttery vanilla, strawberry, chocolate.
In addition to said agent and/or said flavour enhancer, a colour may be provided.
According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a method of adding an additive to a liquid comprising adding to the liquid a composition as described above and mixing the composition and the liquid so that the composition is generally uniformly distributed within the liquid and thereafter allowing the liquid to solidify.